[Mumps in 1998].

In 1998 217,452 cases of mumps were reported and attack rate of 562/100,000 was two and a half times higher than in the previous year. More then four percentage (4.7) of cases were admitted to hospitals (10,147) and the percentage of hospitalised children ranged from 0.3% in Chelm voivodeship to 11.2% in Gdańsk voivodeship. Mostly affected were children in the age group 5 to 9 years old in which attack rates ranged from 3,503 to 5,815 per 100,000. Patients in this age group constituted 58% of total number of mumps. MMR vaccine is still not included into the national programme of immunization; instead monovalent measles vaccine is recommended. MMR vaccine is used on voluntary basis.